Support is requested to enhance multidisciplinary perspectives for research and increase educational opportunities at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB). This annual meeting is the nation's principal forum for basic and clinical scientists to discuss fundamental and applied research in ingestive behavior. SSIB's scientifically diverse community is expertly suited to elucidate the normal controls of ingestion and the aberrations involved in related pathologies. Obviously, dysregulated ingestive behavior contributes to or characterizes obesity, diabetes and eating disorders. Fundamental knowledge of ingestive mechanisms, however, is pertinent to other areas. For example, principles learned from the neurobiology of food reward and food choice, have been used for analyzing self-administration of alcohol, cocaine and other abused drugs. The converse is also true. Problems regulating ingestion and body weight influence the medical status and treatment of patients with mental health disorders. SSIB members have contributed their perspective from ingestive behavior to the discussion of the relationships among these areas. Given the timely nature of this research strategy, SSIB proposes to establish an annual N/H-sponsored symposium built on topics that analyze the relationships between the biological mechanisms of ingestion and theoretically related areas such as addiction, eating disorders and depression. The symposium will permit SSIB to invite established, nonmember investigators from these fields to present their latest work to our membership and interact with attendees throughout the meeting. SSlB has acted substantively to foster the careers of young scientists. NIH funds have been essential for the New Investigator Awards that assist meritorious students to attend the Annual Meeting and present their research. The application, therefore, requests support to continue this critical aspect of the society's mission. Overall, the proposed plan will: 1) promote development of young investigators in the field of ingestive behavior; 2) provide new directions for investigating core mechanisms underlying obesity; and 3) increase the conceptual impact of ingestive research on other disorders with altered consumption of food or non-food substances. Thus, this program should yield new knowledge and nurture a pool of investigators for developing novel therapies for obesity and several other areas with deleterious effects on the public health.